Monday, 10 August 2015

Peace descends

The last two weeks have been frantic. I have been to Boston for 3 days, attended my birthday party on the river Thames, driven to Malvern and back and spent four days in Stockholm. I returned yesterday and today I drove to Newbury to see a Council Planning Officer. I have nothing else planned until next Saturday except for a plan to sleep a lot.

I took my grand-daughter, Madi, to Stockholm to attend The Marriage of Figaro in The Drottningholm Opera House which is the oldest in the world. Built in 1770s and never out of use, still has all the original stage machinery. It only holds about 500 people and they are seated on very uncomfortable wooden benches - except for two thrones for the King and Queen who live in a palace on the island. They did not attend the performance!! That was on Saturday evening. The days before were spent inspecting some very avant-garde art and photography as well as taking a boat trip through the waterways of Stockholm.

Bought in a shop in Stockholm. Well you would not expect me to walk past a yarn shop without investigating it, would you?

I have written up the notes of what the planning officer said, all favourable and await Dorothy's comments. She has got fed up doing nothing while we wait for the house to be ours and has gone to visit friends in Scotland. Current date for removal is September 2nd. I am off to the Association Summer School next Sunday to do Weft Ikat with Martin Weatherhead and then I am off to Antwerp with the Society of Bookbinders but back in time to take possession of our nice new house.

About Me

I am weaver and - -. I dye my yarns with acid dyes, I paint my warps, put fabric collages and stencils on my weaving. I have three looms, a 12 inch wide, 12 shaft Meyer for demos and courses, a 30 inch Louet Kombo which is nominally portable but has a stand, two extra beams and a home-made device containing a fan reed. And last a 32 shaft Louet Megado which is computer controlled, has a sectional warp and a second warp beam and I am the proud owner of an AVL warping wheel which I love to bits and started by drilling holes in. I inserted a device for putting a cross in. I have just acquired an inkle loom and had a lesson from an expert so I can watch TV and weave at the same time.
I am interested in weaving with silk mostly 60/2 although I do quite a bit with 90/2 silk.
I also count myself as a bookbinder with a special interest in Coptic binding.